Lighting means for phonographs and the like



y 23, 1940- AB. CHRISTENSEN 2 ,072

LIGHTING MEANS FOR PHONOGRAPHS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 4, 1957 2Sheets-Sheet l i I IIHHIIIIFIIII Y 23, 1940- A. B. CHRISTENSEN 209,072

LIGHTING MEANS FOR PHONOGRAPHS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 4, 1 93 2Sheets-Sheet 2 zwv cni'oa' Patented July 23, 1946 v UNITED STATESLIGHTING MEANS ron rnoNoenerns THE-LIKE Andrew B. Christensen, NorthTonawanda, N.

assi'gnor to The Rudolph Wurlitzer Company,

North Tonawanda, N. Y., a corporation of Ohio Application October 4,1937, Serial No. 167,219

1 Claim.

This invention relates generally to certain new and useful improvementsin lighting devices or systems but more particularly to devices forcreating novel lighting efiects in the record playing 5 compartments ofautomatic phonograp-hs.

One of its objects is to provide a lighting system of this characterwhich is designed to create variegated lighting effects or displays andenhance the beauty and appearance of the phonograph or like instrumentto which it is applied.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in combination with areflecting wall or background, a revolvable light-emitting means orscreen for directing moving beams of colored light rays across thebackground to create novel and distinctive lighting efiects.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin the claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front View of the record-playing compartmentof an automatic phonograph equipped with my invention. Figure 2 is adetached front view of the reflecting background showing a lightingdisplay therein and the revolving light source or screen employed inconnection with my invention. Figure.

3 is an enlarged rear elevation of the light source unit. Figure 4 is asectional elevation showing the relative arrangement of the reflectingbackground and the revolving light unit. Figure 5 is a side elevation ofthe variegated color drum or screen of the light unit.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

This invention has been designed more particularly for application tothe record-playing compartments of automatic phonographs and such 40application of it is shown in the drawings, the numeral l indicating theupper portion of the phonograph cabinet, H the compartment in which thecustomary record-changing mechanism is mounted, l2 the glass-paneleddoor thereof and I3 the platform or floor of such compartment. Mountedon this platform are a plurality of horizontally-swingingrecord-carriers l4 which are adapted to be swung to and from a playingposition over the vertically-movable turntable I 50 and into and out ofplaying engagement with the customary needle of the tone arm 16.

Disposed at the rear of the compartment II is an upright wall llconstituting the light-projection surface or background upon which thevariegated lighting effects are produced and whose reflecting surfacemay be finished to represent quilted maple or other appropriate finish.The rear edge of the platform i3 terminates short of the wall l! toprovide a light-projection opening 18 and disposed substantiallycentrally below the platform adjoining such opening is the revolvinglight-emitting unit whose parts are mounted on a bracket l9 secured to aportion of the interior of the cabinet l0. Constituting a part of thisunit is a revolvable light-emitting screen or cylinder 20 having itsaxis disposed at right angles to the plane of the wall I'l and securedto a horizontal shaft 2i driven by an electric motor 22 suitably securedto the bracket. One end of this cylinder is provided with ashaftattaching plate 23, while its opposite or rear end is open andextending into the same is an electric lamp 2d fitted in asocket-bearing arm 25 adjustably secured to the bracket is by a screw26. If desired, the drum-plate 23 may be provided with vent openings 21for the dissipation of the heat from the lamp.

The body of the cylinder 20 is made of a suitable transparent materialfor the passage. of the light rays from the lamp 24 and formed on thiscylinder and extending in the direction of its axis are a plurality ofparallel colored bands or stripes 28, such as red, green and purple, orother color-combinations to produce the lighting effect desired. Thesecolored stripes are arranged side by side and extend continuously aboutthe cylinder in any desired order or. arrangement, depending on thelighting effect and color scheme to be produced on the screen-wall ll.As the cylinder 26 revolves, the colored light beams emanating from thestripes 28 are directed against and imposed upon the wall ill from endto end thereof in the general shape of a fan with the individual coloredsectors 29 thereof diverging radially outwardly from the lower portionof the wall. In the lighting eflect shown in Figures 1 and 2 of thedrawings, by way of example, the color and arrangement of the stripes 28are such as to create or simulate a peacock eifect on the Wall H. Tofurther reproduce this effect, the

cylinder is preferably provided with openings 30 g cylinder revolves ata slow speed, the lighting eifect is continuously changed and avariegated color scheme of a very attractive and pleasing design isreflected against the background Wall.

In practice, the lamp 24 and the motor 22 for rotating the cylinder 20are included in the operating circuit of the phonograph, so that whenthe latter is rendered operative for play the lighting display withinthe compartment H is also made efiective.

While this invention has been particularly designed for and is shown inconnection with the record playing compartment of the phonograph, it isto be understood that the invention is equally applicable to otherportions of the phonograph where similar lighting efiect is to bedisplayed.

I claim as my invention:

ANDREW B. CHRIS'I'ENSEN.

